Apparatus for draining sound tubes



L'til-LVE Fl?3ll0 Filed Feb, 20,,1924

Lou/s 5. Slick fe r' IN VENTOR BY y/M W ATTORNEY b&

"Patties May 4, 192a isae rarest" LOUIS BYRNE SLICHTER, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SUBMARINE SIGNAL CORPORATION, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

APPARATUS FOR DEAINING- SOUND TUBES.

Application filed February 20, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUIs BYRNE SLIGH- rna, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Draining Sound lubes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the draining of tubes or of any low locality in a given system by the capillary action of the liquid to be drained upon the draining means. More specifically it is applicable to sound tubes wherein the lowest level of the sound tube be immersed in water or where it may be impossible through some other circumstances to drain the sound tube by small drain holes or pipes leading from the sound tube at this point of lowest level. In general the liquid at the lowest level is drawn upwards by the capillary action of the draining means and drained away by continuing the draining to a lower level than the lowest point within the sound system.

It is highly essential in any sound conducting system, where efficiency of sound transmission is desired, to have the sound or compressional waves travel through the same transmitting medium throughout its course. If in the course of the line of travel of the compressional wave there should be a medium of different character, particularly as to density and elasticity, reflection and refraction would take place at the junction of the two media with a resultant loss. Therefore, if water should settle in a sound tube, even though the passage should not become completely blocked thereby, the quality and efliciency of the transmitting passage would be adversely affected.

A purpose of my invention is to efiect the draining of a sound or similar tube of moisture or liquid which may gather therein without interfering with the transmission of sound through the tube.

More specifically the purpose of my invention is to drain sound tubes used in a system of submarine sound receiving wherein the sound receivers are exposed to the water and may gather, through slight leaks or condensation, water at the lower points of the sound conducting system.

Other purposes of this invention relative to the method and apparatus for e fecting Serial No. 694,167.

the desired result will be understood from the following description and drawing in which:

Figure 1 represents a view showing the position of the sound tube.

Figure 2 shows a section of the tube showing the draining means.

In Figure 1, 1 represents the skin of a vessel against which, on the water side 2, is attached the sound receiving mechanism and apparatus. The sound tube 3, of which there are usually twelve in number, passes through the stuffing box l, the skin of the vessel and outward through the inertia plate plate 5 to the sound detector unit 6. As shown the inertia plate 5 is backed by the sound screen 7. The inertia plate 5 is positioned a slight distance apart from the ship by the brackets 8, 8 to which the former is fastened by the bolts and bolt nuts 9, 9' and 10, 10. lhe brackets 8, 8 are made fast at their other ends to the belt 11 riveted to the ship. Enclosing the entire apparatus is the blister 12 serving only as a protection against knocks, blows, or contact with foreign substances, against the sound apparatus and not to make a watertight joint. As shown the water from the outside fills also the interior of the blister when the vessel is in the water.

The construction of the sound tube is shown in Figure 2. The sound tube 20 shows in detail the sectioned portion of the sound tube 3 which contains the draining means. This lowest level in the present case is outside the ship and thus subject to the water which may find its way and settle at this point in the system. The structure of the wall of the tube 20 comprises the outer tube 22, the inner tubing 23 which is the material for furnishing the capillary draining and a spring 2% for holding the wick tubing 23 in place but at the same time I tight as well as a durable joint, to the tube 3.

The upper part of the tube beyond the point C is on the inside of the vessel beyond the exposure of the water and thus the wick may extend downward anywhere beyond this point to a level lower than the lowest point of the tube without being exposed to saturation by water from the outside. The upper part of the tube 22 is threaded at 30 on the outside to receive the collar 31 which couples the tube 22 to the continuing tube 32 fitted with a flanged collar 33 resting against a similar collar of the tube 22 with a gasket between the two abutting surfaces to form a close and tight joint. T he collar 8-1; fits into the end of the tube over the section of the draining wick and the interior lillonel metal tube. The upper collar 33 is hard soldered to the tube 32, the interior of the tube 32 being open and clear in all respects for the sound to pass through. The wicl: tubing 23 is parted as may be don to an ordinary wick and conducted through the holes 40, h), 4:0, which extend equally spaced about the tube. The necessity of the particular construction is due to some extent to the 'diilhlcult assembly of the tube. The wick which may be of asbestos or some other capable draining material must be first forced down the tube into position. spring can then be worked into place from either end, preferably the lower end and finally the ldonel metal tube can as forced inside the wick tubing. This'portion of the sound tube can then. be put into place, the upper end secured through the collar 31 to the tube 32, and the lower end to the tube The w'cking itself should preferably be long enough so that when it is put in pl c enough of the upper portion of the wick is left extending below the lowest level of the parts to be drained. If the air about the place where the wiclc proceeds from the holes is fairly dry the wick need not extend below the lowest level as mentioned just previously but use of the fact that the air will absorb the moisture in the wick if the wick is properly exposed to the air may be made by employing a short wick. in some cases this absorbii'ig action by the air of the moisture in the wick has been found sufficient to effect a continuous draining.

It will be noted further that the introduction of the drainingmeans is accomplished in such a way that the tube is of the samecross section throughout its length. It may also be noted that only a small portion of the tube is exposed to the wick surface, the rest of the wick being covered by the thin Monel metal tube. Therefore, practically the entire tube is of similar interior construction as far as a similar interior wall is concerned and may be designed for the most efficient sound transmission. The draining means is shown as applied to one tube only. In the usual construction there are a number of tubes, quite often twelve witn twelve sound collecting units each exposed to the sound conducting medium which in most cases is water. Since these units are usually separate at the low points in question, it is neces sary to have a draining means for each unit.

It is to be noted further in the present case that the arrangement of the sound receiving unit and tubing of the system is such that the water may drain to a single point of low level where the draining begins and that no traps are left in the system.where the water can gather and block the sound passages. The sound receivers in the present case mark the high position of the system in the water from which there is a continuous drop in level to the section between A and which is the lowest level in the entire receiving system.

Having now described my invention 1 claim:

1. In a device for draining; sound tubes which are posed to a liquid medium through. which the sound is transmitt d, comprising a clear unobstructed sound path composed of a tube leading from the sound detecting means, an outer tube-fitting over the end of said first tube, moisture absorbing means, means for retaining said moisture abso-rbing means snugly within said outer ube, said moisture absorbing means abuting at one end, the end of said first tube w iereby a continuous smooth passage for the sound is obtained.

2. A. device for draining sound tubes which are exposed to a liquid medium throunh which the sound is transmitted, comprising a clear unobstructed sound path composed of a sound conducting tube leading from the sound detecting means, a second tube connecting with said sound conducting tube, moisture absorbing means, means for retaining said moisture absorbing means snugly within said second tube whereby a continuous smooth path for the sound is obtained and means to conduct the moisture absorbed by said absorbing means without the tube.

3. in adevice for draining sound tubes which are exposed to a liquid medium through which the sound. is transmitted com rising a clear unobstructed sound path, means for lining a part of said path with moisture absorbing material, means for obtainina' smooth joii'iing surfaces at the ends of said lining means for conducting said moisture out 106 the sound tube without allowing an escape for the sound itself.

In testimony whereof I and my signature.

LOUlS lili lltl lll SLICRTER.

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